Japan’s imports rose 5.3% year-on-year in December 2025, reaching an 11-month high of JPY 10,305.8 billion. The latest figure outpaced market expectations of 3.6% and sharply accelerated from November’s modest 1.3% gain. It also marked the fastest growth in purchases since January, underscoring robust year-end domestic demand fueled by Tokyo’s sweeping stimulus package, the largest since the pandemic and the first unveiled under the Takaichi administration. Imports grew for most components, including electrical machinery (22.7%), other goods (13.3%), machinery (9.2%), chemicals (16.6%), and manufactured goods. In contrast, mineral fuel purchases fell 12.5%, dragged by drops in petroleum (-8.6%) and LNG (-6.7%). Imports expanded from China (14.7%), the U.S. (9.2%), Hong Kong (7.5%), Taiwan (18.7%), Vietnam (19.6%), the ASEAN countries (5.8%), Russia (1.9%), the EU (21.6%), and South Africa (12.2%), but fell from South Korea (-6.7%), Australia (-16.0%) and the Middle East (-10.8%). source: Ministry of Finance, Japan

Imports YoY in Japan increased to 5.30 percent in December from 1.30 percent in November of 2025. Imports YoY in Japan averaged 8.16 percent from 1964 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 106.50 percent in February of 1974 and a record low of -42.70 percent in February of 2009. This page includes a chart with historical data for Japan Imports YoY. Japan Imports YoY - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-16 11:50 PM
Imports YoY
Nov 1.3% 0.7% 2.5%
2026-01-21 11:50 PM
Imports YoY
Dec 5.3% 1.3% 3.6%
2026-02-17 11:50 PM
Imports YoY
Jan 5.3%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade 105.69 316.70 JPY Billion Dec 2025
Capital Flows 7219.00 40901.00 JPY Hundred Million Dec 2025
Current Account 7288.00 3674.10 JPY Billion Dec 2025
Exports 10411.51 9709.49 JPY Billion Dec 2025
Exports YoY 5.10 6.10 percent Dec 2025
External Debt 697213.00 676594.00 JPY Billion Sep 2025
Net Foreign Direct Investment 11098.00 22305.00 JPY Hundred Million Dec 2025
Imports 10305.81 9392.80 JPY Billion Dec 2025
Imports YoY 5.30 1.30 percent Dec 2025


Japan Imports YoY
Japan's main imports are mineral fuels (22 percent of total imports), with petroleum accounting for 10 percent and LNG for 6 percent; electrical machinery (15 percent) on the back of telephony, telegraphy and semiconductors; chemicals (10 percent) due to medical products and organic chemicals; machinery (10 percent) in particular computers and units; foodstuff (9 percent) such as fish and fish preparations and meat and meat preparations; manufactured goods (9 percent) on nonferrous metals; and raw materials (6 percent) mainly ore of nonferrous and iron ore and concentrates. Japan's main import partners were China (23 percent), the EU (12 percent) in particular Germany (3 percent), the US (11 percent), Australia (6 percent), South Korea (4 percent), Saudi Arabia (4 percent), Taiwan (4 percent), the UAE (4 percent) and Thailand (4 percent).
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
5.30 1.30 106.50 -42.70 1964 - 2025 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Import Growth at 11-Month Peak
Japan’s imports rose 5.3% year-on-year in December 2025, reaching an 11-month high of JPY 10,305.8 billion. The latest figure outpaced market expectations of 3.6% and sharply accelerated from November’s modest 1.3% gain. It also marked the fastest growth in purchases since January, underscoring robust year-end domestic demand fueled by Tokyo’s sweeping stimulus package, the largest since the pandemic and the first unveiled under the Takaichi administration. Imports grew for most components, including electrical machinery (22.7%), other goods (13.3%), machinery (9.2%), chemicals (16.6%), and manufactured goods. In contrast, mineral fuel purchases fell 12.5%, dragged by drops in petroleum (-8.6%) and LNG (-6.7%). Imports expanded from China (14.7%), the U.S. (9.2%), Hong Kong (7.5%), Taiwan (18.7%), Vietnam (19.6%), the ASEAN countries (5.8%), Russia (1.9%), the EU (21.6%), and South Africa (12.2%), but fell from South Korea (-6.7%), Australia (-16.0%) and the Middle East (-10.8%).
2026-01-22
Japan Imports Rise Less than Expected
Japan’s imports increased 1.3% year-on-year to JPY 9,392.4 billion in November 2025, signaling the third straight monthly growth but below market estimates of 2.5%. The latest print followed a 0.7% rise in October, reflecting subdued domestic demand and lingering cost pressures, despite Tokyo’s JPY 21.3 trillion stimulus package, the largest since the pandemic and the first under the Takaichi administration, which includes winter energy subsidies starting January 2026. Also, Japanese firms continue to face 15% tariffs despite a September U.S.–Japan trade deal. Mineral fuel purchases fell 13.4%, led by drops in petroleum (-2.4%) and LNG (-17.7%), while imports of electrical machinery (4.0%), machinery (12.3%), and other goods (14.2%) grew. Purchases rose from China (2.3%), the U.S. (7.1%), Taiwan (22.7%), Vietnam (14.5%), ASEAN countries (3.4%), and the EU (6.8%), but fell from Hong Kong (-17.1%), South Korea (-9.7%), Australia (-16.0%), Russia (-15.8%), and the Middle East (-10.4%).
2025-12-17
Japan Imports Unexpectedly Rise
Japan’s imports increased 0.7% year-on-year to a nine-month high of JPY 9,998.1 billion in October 2025, beating market expectations for a 0.7% decline and marking a second straight month of growth, reflecting front-loaded purchases ahead of winter. However, the latest increase was much softer than September’s 3% rise as cost pressures lingered and firms grew more selective with procurement heading into year-end. Imports rose from China (0.8%), the U.S. (20.9%), Hong Kong (10.8%), Taiwan (9.5%), and the ASEAN countries (2.5%), but fell from the EU (-9.0%), and Russia (-2.1%), Australia (-7.4%) and the Middle East (-6.3%). Despite the September trade deal with the U.S. Japanese firms still face 15% tariffs, potentially knock-on effects for wages and confidence. To ease household burdens, Tokyo is preparing a JPY 21.3 trillion stimulus package, the largest since the pandemic, which includes new winter energy bill subsidies set to begin in January 2026.
2025-11-21


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